Chip Addiction!

I do not buy chips because it is just mindless munching. Pretzel crisps are my downfall, so I have a complete ban on those suckers. I substitute airpopped popcorn when I'm feeling munchy as well as cheese slices, cottage cheese snack packs, and peanut butter to stay satisfied. When I go to a Mexican restaurant, I still eat chips, but this is OK on occasion (no refilling the bowl!).

If I feel like mindless munching, I do something else like exercise, go shopping, walk around, take a hot relaxing shower, read a book, etc.

Good luck. You can successfully defeat the chips!

noexcusesjustresults2014 wrote: »

I know I can eat a lot of chips but while running 300 miles a month + other exercise I am not worried about it.

Indeed. If you run 300 miles a month, I imagine you can pretty much eat anything, as long as you eat enough of it!! For us non-runners, well, things may be different.

do not buy chips, I have the same problem. I've decided to stop buying them. I also that when dieting like I am now, I tend to binge on them more. For some reason the craving is so hard to ignore. I usually go for three days of tracking calories on MFP, the after that I always find an excuse to binge on chips.

I think I will try what some have suggested and treat it like an addiction. When I eat unhealthy food, I'm too busy binging to log it on MFP. Also I don't know about you but for me a binge is not complete without soda and biscuits to balance out the salt, thus leading to a domino effect.
Add me if you want.

whitewolf1200 wrote: »

I totally understand. Currently eating a bag of chips while reading this

lol i just ate 2. Atleast they were under 205 calories comined.

I'd actually suggest trying some therapy. A food addiction is similar to any other form of addiction and one of the best ways to combat it is to attend some therapy sessions. Many areas offer over eaters anonymous groups or individual therapy that focuses on food addiction and weight loss. I think that if its a large enough problem that can't be fixed with just not buying them, then a larger scale intervention is needed!

There are things I absolutely cannot buy or have around, or else I binge on them. Oreos for example. It's hard to break the habit, believe me I know. But once you get through the first couple weeks it's going to get easier. Don't buy them. Don't even go down the chip aisle in the store! Also, sometimes weird cravings and binges come from some lack in your diet that you don't know about. Make sure you are getting all your vitamins and minerals. A multivitamin/mineral supplement can help. Chips are salty, and there may be some nutrient in potatoes that you crave. Excessive salt cravings can be reduced over time (and make sure your table salt at home is the iodized kind. Being low in iodine is bad for your thyroid and could cause cravings.) If you are someone who can practice moderation, then a single serving bag after a workout might do the trick. Otherwise, it's sort of like quitting any bad habit. Very hard at first, then easier over time.

I can't buy potato chips or cheese doodles or tortilla chips anymore. No joke, I used to mix 1 entire pint of sour cream with a pack of lipton's onion soup mix and eat it with a jumbo bag of potato chips... all in one sitting, for dinner. I just don't buy them anymore, at all. When we are out somewhere for a meal (like getting a sandwich at a convenient store or deli or something), I will have one small bag, but the big bags are forbidden in my house!!

I measured out 2oz of my fave tortilla chips and had them as a snack today. Years ago I would not have been able to practice moderation. I actually had to keep chips out of the house so I wouldn't eat them all in one sitting. Keep working on it. If you need a chip fix than just buy one of the single serving bags.

the home-made popcorn idea is a good one. Try them with brewer's yeast aka nutritional yeast http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutritional_yeas It sounds weird but it's got that savory/salty umami thing that you crave plus protein and B vitamins. I love it way more than chips.

Another good substitution is crispy veggies like carrots and bell peppers with low-fat ranch. I use the regular hidden valley ranch powder but make it into dip with greek yogurt (I use skim, not no fat--a little bit of fat is good for you).